You are here

Environmental Performance

Search form

Search

Consolidated monitoring and reporting systems, such as Standard Aggregation Data (SAD), are used to keep track of environmental performance, measure the effectiveness of actions taken to achieve targets, and plan new initiatives for continuous improvement, through the management of appropriate Key Performance Indicators (KPI). These indicators can be analyzed at different aggregate levels (plant, segment, Region, or Company), which allows for the simultaneous and parallel engagement of different Corporate functions at various levels to meet targets. These systems are also useful for periodic benchmarking activities, and to help plants drive the continuous improvement of environmental performance.

SAFEGUARDING AIR QUALITY

Reducing atmospheric emissions is one of CNH Industrial’s strategic goals, consistent with the results of the materiality analysis. The application of best available technologies at every step of the manufacturing process is critical to meet the improvement targets set by the Company.

The main atmospheric emissions are monitored according to specific programs to verify compliance with existing regulations, and the results are systematically recorded via the monitoring system in use.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)

In terms of presence of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), painting has the greatest environmental impact of all manufacturing processes at CNH Industrial. For this reason, CNH Industrial is committed to monitoring and reducing VOC emissions per square meter painted. In 2009, considered the base year2, the Company’s average emissions were approximately 67 grams per square meter painted. In 2014, the value dropped to 43.4 grams per square meter (-35%) thanks to the excellent results achieved across all segments, which exceeded the specific targets set in the Plan (see also page 38).

In line with the new Environmental Plan, by 2018 CNH Industrial is determined to cut 2% of VOC emissions per square meter compared to 2014, considered as the new base year.

Among the initiatives implemented to reduce atmospheric emissions, the New Holland plant (USA) invested approximately $30 thousand on a new monolayer (single coat) paint system to replace its former double-layer system (primer and topcoat), thus eliminating the VOC emissions and waste generated in the second coating process. This led to approximately $107 thousand in annual savings, mainly associated with reduced energy consumption, fees for VOC emissions, and disposal of waste generated by the painting process.

The Grand Island plant (USA) invested approximately $210 thousand in redesigning its paint system and manifold to enable the mixing of coating materials directly inside the spray booth, instead of transferring them through paint lines, thus minimizing the need to purge the latter with solvents. The reduction in solvents required to clean both manifold and lines led to a 25% drop in VOC emissions and an 80% drop in hazardous materials generated by the coating process, with total savings of approximately $330 thousand.

Lastly, during the first quarter of 2014, the Curitiba plant (Brazil) installed a system to recirculate the solvent used to clean spray guns. The system enables the reuse of solvents up to three times before their disposal, which reduces solvent consumption by approximately 60% and, consequently, VOC emissions into the atmosphere. The system also allowed the plant to cut its annual production of hazardous waste by 30%, saving approximately $58 thousand.

(2) In 2010, in line with the Business Plan, 2009 was chosen as the base year for setting 2014 targets.

Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS)

At CNH Industrial plants, Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) are present in certain equipment used for cooling, air conditioning, and climate control.

The Company regularly updates the inventory of systems and equipment containing ODS, to monitor the quantity of these substances at plants. Other actions and initiatives are being implemented to completely replace them with more eco-compatible gases and/or technologies by the end of 2015 (see also page 38).

In 2014, ozone depleting substances continued to be removed at various plants in Europe. In particular, they were completely eliminated at the plants in Jesi, Modena, and San Mauro Torinese (Italy), Rorthais and Tracy (France), Madrid (Spain), Antwerp (Belgium), and Sankt Valentin (Austria).

These activities contributed to the overall removal of approximately 1,460 kilos of ODS across EMEA plants, representing approximately 85% of their total amount of ODS.

Ahead of deadlines, all existing ODS were eliminated also at the plants in Benson, Burlington, Calhoun, Fargo, Goodfield, New Holland, Racine, and Wichita (USA), for a total of over 1,100 kilos, with a total investment of $1.9 million. In 2014, operations to remove and replace equipment containing ODS led to a total reduction of approximately 95% across plants in NAFTA.

Similarly, the South American plants in Cordoba (Argentina) and Contagem (Brazil) invested around $118 thousand on the complete removal of ODS from their facilities, equal to approximately 470 kilos, thus contributing to a 75% total drop across plants in LATAM.

The Pregnana Milanese plant (Italy) also removed all existing ODS, which significantly contributed to a 75% total reduction in ODS across Powertrain plants.

No accidental ODS leaks were reported in 2014.

Emissions of NOX, SOX, and Dust

CNH Industrial also monitors the emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and inorganic particulate matter deriving from fossil fuel combustion, since these pollutants can impact the climate and ecosystems.

EMISSIONS OF NOX, SOX AND DUST

2014

2013

2012

Nitrogen Oxides (NOX)

372.6

443.0

418.8

Sulfur Oxides (SOX)

36.7

41.2

50.6

Dust

5.1

5.7

5.3

WATER MANAGEMENT

CNH Industrial believes the sustainable management of water is a strategic commitment in a global context where the growth in population (and, therefore, in water demand) is met by a marked scarcity of water resources in an increasing number of regions worldwide.

Furthermore, from a business and risk management point of view, the Company recognizes that the economic importance of proper water management lies in the continuity of supply for industrial processes. CNH Industrial’s efforts in this regard focus on increasing water efficiency within its industrial processes, subject to geographic and ecological context. The Company’s plants operate locally to reduce water requirements and wastewater volumes, while pursuing high quality standards at all times. Furthermore, the scarcity of water resources and related issues represent a potential risk; however, if properly managed, they can provide grounds for improvement and innovation within the manufacturing process.

From a broader perspective, water is a resource shared by different stakeholders; therefore, collaboration in water management is important and joint efforts should be aimed at improving the community’s health and wellbeing.

In 2014, the Water Management Guidelines continued to be extended to plants across Italy, as a support tool in handling water resources and effluents. In addition to the sites already involved in 2013, the new requirements were incorporated in the environmental management systems at the plants in Modena San Matteo and San Mauro Torinese (Italy).

Plants currently optimize water use by:

analyzing the consumption, structure, and management of water withdrawal and distribution systems, and identifying and eliminating leaks and waste

identifying the manufacturing processes with the greatest impact on water resources, and adopting changes and technological innovations to boost their efficiency and reduce consumption

recycling water within individual manufacturing processes and reusing it in multiple processes

raising staff awareness of responsible water use.

In 2014, joint and coordinated efforts across all Company segments led to an overall performance improvement (in terms of water withdrawal per production unit), in line with and exceeding the specific targets set in the Plan (see also page 36). Particularly noteworthy is the ever-increasing reduction in water withdrawal per hour of production, which dropped by half compared to 2009 (taken as the base year), going from 0.32 to 0.14 cubic meters per hour, a reduction of 56%.

As per the new Environmental Plan, CNH Industrial is committed to reducing water withdrawals per production unit by 3% by 2018 compared to 2014, the new base year.

Among the initiatives aimed at reducing water withdrawals, worth mentioning are those launched at the Brescia Special Vehicles plant (Italy), which invested $27 thousand in a new station for testing fire vehicle high-pressure hoses and tanks while collecting and recovering the water used. The project enabled reusing about four thousand cubic meters of water throughout 2014, i.e., more than 30% of the plant’s annual water consumption.

A project for the recovery and reuse of water was also launched at the Piacenza plant (Italy), after modifying the system used to test water leaks in vehicle cabs. This allowed recovering and reusing 95% of the water used in the process, equal to approximately 1,500 cubic meters per year.

Initiatives to reduce water withdrawals were also put in motion at the Racine plant (USA), which invested $45 thousand to install new cooling water valves on hardeners, to connect a hardener to an existing circuit for the recirculation of cooling water, and to transition from a five to a three-stage pre-paint wash system. The changes allowed saving approximately 36 thousand cubic meters, cutting the plant’s water consumption by about 13%, for total annual savings of approximately $32 thousand.

The Piracicaba plant (Brazil) invested approximately $45 thousand to install a fifty-cubic meter system for the collection and storage of rainwater, which is then used in fleet washing processes, thus reducing the water demand of this operation by 76%. This project, along with other initiatives to save water, allowed the plant to cut water consumption by over 42% compared to 2013.

With a total investment of approximately $8 thousand, the Sete Lagoas plant (Brazil) installed a system enabling the reuse of pretreatment waters in cataphoresis processes in place of demineralized water, thus cutting pretreatment water consumption by approximately 16 thousand cubic meters. Furthermore, by reusing the water discharged by the water treatment system to irrigate green areas, the plant decreased its annual consumption by a further 18 thousand cubic meters, reaching an overall reduction in total water consumption of approximately 11%, and saving around $74 thousand.

CNH Industrial plants do not use wastewater generated by other organizations.

WATER WITHDRAWAL AND DISCHARGE

(thousand of m3)

2014

2013

2012

Plants

55

55

59

Withdrawal

Groundwater

3,512

4,067

4,724

Municipal water supply

2,159

2,496

2,436

Surface water

18

23

23

of which salt water

-

-

-

Rainwater

3

1

n.a.

Other

-

-

1

Total water withdrawal

5,692

6,587

7,184

Discharge

Surface water

836

1,244

1,195

of which salt water

-

-

-

Public sewer systems

3,146

3,389

3,439

Other destinations

45

76

40

Total water discharge

4,027

4,709

4,674

WATER WITHDRAWAL PER PRODUCTION UNITCNH INDUSTRIAL WORLDWIDE (m3/hour of production)

Safeguarding the water bodies that receive the effluents from industrial processes is equally important to the Company. For this reason, plants take necessary measures to ensure that the quality standards in the treatment of their production wastewaters are higher than those required by local regulations. Indeed, the wastewater quality indicators, which refer to the three parameters considered most representative (biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, and suspended solids), showed that performance in 2014 exceeded the targets set (see also page 37).

These outcomes were achieved in part thanks to specific wastewater treatment systems, managed by internal staff or by specialized industry partners, which purify the water discharged outside the plant mainly through physical and chemical processes; depending on wastewater quality, biological treatments may be required as well.

The effluents from CNH Industrial plants are not channeled for reuse by other organizations.

The Ulm plant (Germany) installed a new paintshop equipped with a dry overspray abatement system in place of the former wet system. As a result, the amount of technological wastewater dropped by approximately 120 cubic meters, representing more than 15% of the plant’s industrial effluents.

Plants in water-stressed areas Following the adoption of the Water Management Guidelines in 2011, three plants in countries where the Company operates were classified as sensitive in terms of availability and use of water resources. Their respective zones were identified from the world map of water-stressed areas, defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2008. Countries considered as water-stressed are those where water availability per capita is less than 1,700 cubic meters per year.

The plants concerned are Plock (Poland), Vysoke Myto (Czech Republic), and Noida (India). Since 2011, specific actions to reduce water withdrawal and water needs were identified and implemented at all three plants, so as to contribute less to water demand in their respective countries and help preserve and safeguard water resources (see also page 253).

Numerous initiatives were implemented at these plants to achieve the ambitious reduction targets set.

In 2014, the plant in Plock (Poland) invested about $77 thousand in initiatives to safeguard water resources. The major ones concern improving degreasing and washing procedures during pretreatment in painting processes, and installing a new ultrafiltration system to recover the wastewater from washing for its reuse in the demineralization system (it was previously sent to the water treatment system). The resulting cut in water withdrawal and consumption reduced the water sent for internal treatment by about fifty thousand cubic meters. These initiatives bring an annual economic benefit of approximately sixty thousand dollars.

Activities carried out at the plant in recent years reduced water consumption per unit of production by more than 50% compared to 2009, exceeding the 2014 reduction target (47% compared to 2009).

The Vysoke Myto plant (Czech Republic) focused on monitoring water consumption in specific processes, such as painting, and on finding and promptly repairing supply network leaks through regular checks. This was facilitated by a new system of collecting leak reports from workers made aware of the issue. Sections of the sewer system were also repaired or replaced.

Activities carried out at the plant in recent years reduced water consumption per unit of production by over 70% compared to 2009, exceeding the 2014 reduction target (59% compared to 2009).

At the Noida plant (India), equipment was modified to enable discharge water from the water treatment system to be reused in the lavatories, and overflow water from the rinse tanks to be used in the degreasing process.

Overall water savings at the plant were more than 15 thousand cubic meters per year, or 8% of its total water consumption. In 2014, about $29 thousand was invested in the creation of two areas with the capacity to collect approximately two thousand cubic meters of rainwater in a year, before allowing it to drain directly into the soil, reducing the amount of water discharged by the plant.

The extensive monitoring of leaks, the lowering of pressure in the feed pipes, and the specific water-saving projects completed at the plant since 2009 reduced its water consumption by 40%, exceeding the 38% reduction target for 2014.

Also in 2014, a project was launched in collaboration with a supplier to minimize risks related to water quantity and quality, and to conflicts with stakeholders (see also page 160).

These three plants have set new improvement targets for 2018, in line with the new Environmental Plan, demonstrating their continuing commitment to preserving water resources.

PROTECTING THE SOIL AND SUBSOIL

CNH Industrial strives continuously to minimize the risk of environmental impact on the soil and subsoil. Following the specific guidelines issued in 2013 in EMEA concerning the monitoring of existing underground structures, in 2014, the Region’s plants carried out monitoring surveys of reservoirs, tanks, and underground pipes, as per the 2013 guidelines.

In addition, efforts continued to minimize potential sources of soil and subsoil contamination: the plants in Modena and San Mauro Torinese (Italy), Zedelgem (Belgium), and New Holland (USA), among others, completed important improvement projects regarding on-site waste collection areas, focusing on rationalizing and optimizing management, personnel training, and construction works to cover and pave such areas and create containment systems for any accidental spills and leaks.

During 2014, there were no significant accidental spills or leaks of potentially contaminating substances, except for two incidents at the plants in Burlington (USA) and La Victoria (Venezuela): in the first, less than 0.06 cubic meters of hydraulic oil was released; in the second, in a paved area of the plant, about 2.5 cubic meters of lubricating oil was accidentally spilt on the ground during siphoning. Owing to the prompt intervention of operators, both incidents had negligible consequences, and the impacted surroundings were immediately cleaned up to an acceptable standard.

WASTE MANAGEMENT

CNH Industrial strives to optimize manufacturing processes and activities across all plants, aiming not only to enhance the end product and eliminate waste, but also to improve the management of the waste produced, a key aspect of the Environmental Policy.

Plants carry out in-depth analyses of the entire production chain to improve waste management at every stage, limiting the quantities produced and the risks posed. In addition, particular emphasis is given to initiatives that increase waste recovery and reuse. The Company’s commitment to optimizing waste management is shared across the plants, which work to find solutions that facilitate waste recovery and minimize material sent to landfill.

The latter should only be used as a last resort, in cases where other options are unavailable or not feasible; these are, in order of preference: waste recovery, waste to energy conversion, and waste treatment.

Waste disposal methods are determined by the organization, either directly or in agreement with waste disposal contractors.

The 2014 results are evidence of CNH Industrial’s commitment to managing this environmental aspect. Total waste recovered across the Company was 83%, an increase of about 12% compared to 2009 (the base year).

Total waste sent to landfill was cut further, to around 4% in 2014 (5% in 2013). Waste generated in relation to the production unit fell by 16% for total waste generated, compared to 2009, while hazardous waste fell by 54%.

The individual segments contributed to achieving these excellent results, meeting, as a whole, the targets set in the 2009-2014 Plan, and in some cases significantly exceeding them (see also page 37).

In line with the new Environmental Plan, CNH Industrial demonstrates its commitment to sustainable waste management by setting the following key targets, to be achieved by 2018:

total waste generated: -3% compared to 2014

hazardous waste generated: -5% compared to 2014

waste recovered: 87%.

WASTE GENERATION AND MANAGEMENT

2014

2013

2012

Plants

55

55

59

Waste generated

Non-hazardous waste

243,479

277,200

252,002

Hazardous waste

23,130

26,807

30,247

Total waste generated

266,609

304,007

282,249

of which packaging

79,145

119,620

77,035

Waste disposed

Waste-to-energy conversion

13,100

12,208

10,081

of which hazardous

4,401

4,949

2,600

Treatment

21,568

24,892

32,500

Sent to landfill

11,208

15,244

15,964

Total waste disposed

45,876

52,344

58,545

Waste recovered

Total waste recovered

220,733

251,663

223,704

of which hazardous

4,584

5,060

4,749

% waste recovered

83%

83%

79%

% waste sent to landfill

4%

5%

6%

WASTE GENERATED PER PRODUCTION UNIT

HAZARDOUS WASTE GENERATED PER PRODUCTION UNIT

Numerous initiatives took place in 2014 to optimize waste management and reduce waste production.

The Bolzano plant (Italy) completed the upgrade of and improvements to the system for treating industrial wastewater (from machining and washing), with subsequent authorization to discharge into the public sewer system. The new system became fully operational during the year and will cut the total amount of both types of industrial wastewater, which, in the previous year, accounted for about 43% of the total waste generated by the plant. Wastewater is now treated by the new system and no longer disposed of as waste, resulting in cost savings of over $133 thousand per year.

The Piacenza plant (Italy) introduced a new biodegradable, solvent-free product for cleaning the tubes and spray guns used in painting processes. This move reduced hazardous waste by about four thousand kilos per year, or 70% of the hazardous waste produced in painting processes (about 10% of the plant’s total). This led to over $13 thousand in savings in solvents purchased per year. At the Antwerp plant (Belgium), a new industrial washing machine, running on hot water in place of cold, also eliminated the use of solvent, replacing it with an environmentally-friendly product.

In early 2014, the plant in San Mauro Torinese (Italy) installed a new ultrafiltration system for the water used in cylinder washing, significantly cutting the hazardous waste generated and enabling the process water to be reused in the washing equipment. Following these excellent results, the project was extended to a similar system used for washing excavators. The new ultrafiltration systems reduce overall hazardous waste disposal at the plant by 60% (or two hundred tons per year); an additional benefit of this initiative is the reduction in industrial water consumption of about 350 cubic meters per year. Overall cost savings were about forty thousand dollars per year.

During 2014, at the Torino Driveline plant (Italy), the manual dosing and topping up of coolants in machining cooling systems was replaced with automated Dosatron systems, which use water pressure in the pipes to continually dispense and dose the correct amount of concentrated emulsion. This initiative, in which coolants are replaced with higher performing products, reduced the emulsion products used by about 150 tons, or 30% of total emulsion consumption. At the Foggia plant (Italy), initiatives focused on the preventive maintenance of hydraulic power units and on the proper handling of lubrication and cooling systems reduced lubricant use by about 50 tons, or 8% of product consumption.

The Racine plant (USA), meanwhile, is the first in the NAFTA Region to achieve the key target of Zero Waste to Landfill: by inspecting and studying the waste disposal facilities used by the plant, personnel identified room for improvement in the segregated collection and disposal of waste, enabling the recycling or waste-to-energy conversion of all material previously sent to landfill.

Lastly, there were several initiatives to improve the management of packaging materials.

The Torino Engine and Torino Driveline plants (Italy) installed mechanical presses in the assembly areas to reduce cardboard volumes by about 60%, with benefits in terms of waste handling costs, transportation, and tidiness and cleanliness in the manufacturing areas. Following an investment of about $482 thousand, the plant in Sete Lagoas (Brazil) reduced waste quantities by introducing a process to break down wooden packaging and reassemble it in different formats and sizes, enabling its reuse in the workshop. In 2014, about 12 thousand wooden containers were recovered, with savings of over $1.1 million, reducing total plant waste by about 5%.

PROTECTING BIODIVERSITY

As a company leading the way on the environment with robust environmental policies, CNH Industrial has been engaged for several years in efforts to understand and mitigate any impacts to wildlife and biodiversity in and around its manufacturing plants.

With the support of the scientific community, in particular of the Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology of the Università di Torino, and of a professional consultancy firm, CNH Industrial has, since 2010, promoted the development and application of the Biodiversity Value Index (BVI) at some of its manufacturing sites. The sites were selected based on their location and proximity to areas that are either protected or of particular interest for their environmental context and biodiversity.

Through an in-depth study of ecosystems within about a five-kilometer radius of these manufacturing sites, the methodology assesses the level of biodiversity in such areas and identifies possible improvement measures for existing ecosystems, addressing the issue of biodiversity by evaluating two complementary factors: anthropic pressures (Anthropic Pressure Index - API), generated by industrial, agricultural, urban, and infrastructural activities within the concerned area biodiversity (Biodiversity Index - BI), measured using the most common biological indicators of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

The method has already been applied in recent years at the plants in Bourbon Lancy (France), Curitiba (Brazil), Suzzara (Italy), and Ulm (Germany), identifying, in all cases, a contribution to the anthropic pressure index of less than 1%. Given the negligible impact of these plants on biodiversity, the BVI methodology does not require any improvement measures.

Despite the excellent assessment of biodiversity levels, the plant in Bourbon Lancy (France) implemented measures to support biodiversity, such as planting indigenous hedges and shrubs within the site, while seeking to contain invasive, non-native species in the two wetland areas in the northern and southern parts of the property.

Also in 2014, a green area was created bordering the plant where illustrative panels highlight the importance of environmental issues and biodiversity for the plant; the area is open to employees and tourists alike, and fits in perfectly with the nearby cycle path, known as the Voie Vert or green path, of great value to the local environment.

In 2014, the BVI methodology was extended to additional plants.

The methodology was also implemented at the Madrid plant (Spain), which is close to sites belonging to the EU’s Natura 20003 network, namely the banks and waters of the Jarama, Henares, and Manzanares rivers, and parts of the moorland and hills to the south-east of the city. The BVI was used to identify average values for anthropic pressure and degree of biodiversity. Specifically, the extent of industrial, urban, and agricultural land use was identified as the predominant factor influencing anthropic pressure. Of all industries in the area under study, the Madrid plant’s contribution to anthropic pressure is negligible (1% of the total).

The Biodiversity Value Index was also assessed at the Sete Lagoas site (Brazil), with the collaboration of the Università di Torino, the Universidade Federal do Paraná, and other research institutions in Brazil. The city of Sete Lagoas is in a region of great value for wildlife and eco-tourism. In addition to woods and lagoons on CNH Industrial property, the surroundings affected include the protected areas of Rio Paiol and Laguna Grande, stretches of water that define the landscape of the city. The preliminary assessment showed different values for biodiversity in the area under study, and a low level of anthropic pressure on biodiversity, mainly caused by agriculture, land use for urban development, and only marginally by industry: for the plant, a very low overall contribution to anthropic pressure was detected, less than 3.5% of the total. Despite the negligible impact of its activities, the plant launched environmental awareness campaigns in local schools and initiatives to enhance biodiversity, planting 1,500 trees of native species within the site.

In 2014, the BVI methodology was also launched at the Foggia plant (Italy), located near two sensitive areas: the Bosco dell'Incoronata and the Valle del Cervaro. Ahead of the assessment results, about three hundred trees have already been planted and a guideline drawn up to define requirements for the planting of tree species, within a broader project known as Urban Forestation. The objective of this project is to promote the planting of native-species of trees and hedges as a strategy for enhancing the landscape, wildlife, and biodiversity at Company plants. It is also an important way of raising environmental awareness of the increasing CO2 levels in the atmosphere and of climate change, while making areas surrounding manufacturing sites more accessible and enjoyable for Company personnel.

The methodology is currently applied to the above-mentioned plants; in the coming years, its extension to plants satisfying the relevant criteria will be assessed.

PLANTS NEAR, BORDERING OR WITHIN PROTECTEDa OR HIGH-BIODIVERSITY AREAS

Plant

Plant activity

Plant’s total surface area (m²)

Location with respect to protected area

Species on IUCN Red List of threatened species and on national lists (no.)

Bourbon Lancy (France)

Production of heavy-duty diesel engines

210,090

Adjacent to the protected area (500 m)

193 species listed, of which:

0 critically endangered

2 endangered

1 vulnerable

1 near threatened

189 of least concern

Curitiba (Brazil)

Production of agricultural equipment

792,824

Adjacent to/contains part of the protected area

101 species listed, of which:

0 critically endangered

0 endangered

0 vulnerable

4 near threatened

97 of least concern

Foggia (Italy)

Production of engines

601,680

Adjacent to the protected area (3,500 m)

Under evaluation

Madrid (Spain)

Production of trucks

347,200

Adjacent to the protected area (1,500 m)

64 species listed, of which:

0 critically endangered

0 endangered

0 vulnerable

1 near threatened

63 of least concern

Sete Lagoas (Brazil)

Production of trucks (medium and heavy vehicle range)

2,000,000

Adjacent to the protected area (1,500 m)

79 species listed, of which:

0 critically endangered

0 endangered

0 vulnerable

0 near threatened

79 of least concern

Suzzara (Italy)

Production of trucks (light vehicles)

520,000

Adjacent to the protected area (4,000 m)

110 species listed, of which:

0 critically endangered

2 endangered

0 vulnerable

0 near threatened

108 of least concern

Ulm (Germany)

Production of special vehicles (fire-fighting)

679,000

Adjacent to the protected area (2,000 m)

153 species listed, of which:

0 critically endangered

2 endangered

1 vulnerable

3 near threatened

147 of least concern

(3) The Natura 2000 network is the centerpiece of the European Union biodiversity conservation policy. It is an EU-wide ecological network, established pursuant to the 92/43/CEE Habitat directive to ensure the long-term conservation of natural habitats and threatened or rare flora and fauna species across the EU.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE

Other indicators are also of concern to CNH Industrial, most notably the reduction of hazardous substances and of noise emissions to the external environment generated by Company equipment and manufacturing processes.

As regards PCBs and PCTs, CNH Industrial completed the process to eliminate these hazardous substances in 2012.

Moreover, during 2014, the Goodfield plant (USA) reported two cases of administrative non-compliance: the first regarded an expired Air Emission Permit following the expected shutdown of the plant, subsequently reversed; the second concerned the delayed submission of an Annual Emission Report. The total fine incurred was $11 thousand.

Substances of Particular Relevance to Health and the Environment CNH Industrial is strongly committed to adopting alternatives to certain substances identified as particularly relevant to human health and the environment.

In recent years, the Company has concentrated its efforts on the study and application of alternative solutions to replace heavy-metal containing products used in painting processes, for example, by reformulating paint products and introducing nano-ceramic products and silane compounds.

Tests were carried out during 2014, in collaboration with major suppliers, on latest-generation nano-ceramic products that, in addition to eliminating nickel salts from pre-treatment processes, ensure better results than current formulas.

External Noise Produced by Plants Again in 2014, CNH Industrial confirmed its commitment to minimizing the noise impact of its plants, in line with the guidelines and procedures of the environmental management systems adopted at plants and with the specific policies issued in previous years (such as the guideline for the design and purchase of new, low-noise machinery).

NANOTECHNOLOGY IN MANUFACTURINGCNH Industrial uses nanotechnologies in the process of painting its products, specifically during the washing (pretreatment) of surfaces preceding the actual painting phase.Indeed, some CNH Industrial plants adopt thin layer technology, through which nanotechnology products/nanoparticles are adequately dosed in process tanks to react with the surfaces of metal substrates previously treated with a degreasing solution; the chemical-physical reaction triggered causes the formation of a layer of zirconium oxide that coats the metal surface.This treatment confers excellent resistance to corrosion and great adhesion of paint, while also providing benefits such as lower environmental impact, and enhanced process quality and operational performance.The process takes place at room temperature and, because no heat is applied, there is no vapor generation. Chemical concentrations are very low, and product applications (spraying or dipping) are automated and performed in enclosed areas.Thin layer technology produces a small quantity of sludge to be disposed of compared to the traditional technology, and does not require hazardous acid cleaning. It also decreases energy and water consumption, reduces wastewater, and requires less maintenance.This technology is in use at 12 CNH Industrial plants, with extension to other production sites currently under evaluation.